We will be hosting the IGSMA Choir Contest on Saturday, March 14. We will need adult volunteers. See below for more information.

Our March Melodies Concert will take place on Thursday, March 12. Please see below for the itinerary.

TICKETS FOR LITTLE MERMAID JR are available online here: https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/37888

PLEASE CHECK CHARMS FOR VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES! WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS COMING UP THAT NEED YOUR HELP: CHOIR CONTEST AND THE MUSICAL!

Here is the choir volunteer link:

https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131075

Here are links for the Musical:

Sunday, March 22 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131901

Monday, March 23 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131902

Tuesday, March 24 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131904

Wednesday, March 25 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131914

Thursday, March 26 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131915

Friday, March 27 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131916

https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131918

https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131917

Saturday, March 28 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131924

https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131920

Sunday, March 29 - https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5134027

Our Music Boosters will be hosting the IGSMA District Choir Contest at Mokena Junior High on Saturday, March 14. In addition to our own choir performing, we will be hosting choirs from 9 other schools. This is a large undertaking for our Music Boosters and a great opportunity to showcase our wonderful building and our dedicated music families. We are in need of your help! Even if you don't have a child in the choir program, we could use parent and student volunteers to help run the event. Service hours will be available for student volunteers. Please follow this link to sign up to volunteer: https://www.charmsoffice.com/charms/volunteerR.asp?s=mokjhsb&v=5131075

It is not required that Mokena music students take private lessons. It is true, however, that the vast majority of students who do not take private lessons tend to have improper playing habits, and never reach their full potential as musicians. SECTIONALS ARE NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR PRIVATE LESSONS. There are still many benefits of private instruction over full band rehearsal and small group sectionals. If you are interested in getting your child private lessons on their instrument, please visit the following link: https://www.mokenameteormusic159.org/uploads/2/3/4/4/23449316/private_lessons.pdf

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Bussean or Ms. Beekman

Please note that students are responsible for their own schedules for Musical rehearsals. The schedule for rehearsals is posted in the band room hallway, and is updated every week in the Newsletter. Students should refer to their script to determine whether or not they are needed if they feel the information is unclear. I will always either list the song title or the scene we will be working on. This is their responsibility. Attendance is critical and ADVANCE notice should be given if a student will be missing. This INCLUDES other school activities.

I'm so excited to announce that aside from a few small tweaks, the set is built!!! We will have the Sebastians attend on Saturday, March 21 to disassemble the Ship and stage the set pieces for load in. We will see ALL Crew members on Sunday, March 22 for Load In! Please refer to the Tech Week Survival Guide I previously sent out for more information on Tech Week.

Saturday, March 21 9:00 am - 3:00 pm - 8th Graders

Sunday, March 22 - LOAD IN!!!! - ALL CREW MEMBERS - MANDATORY

Tech Week Mandatory Schedule

Sunday March 22 - 4:00 - 9:00 pm

Monday, March 23 - 3:00 - 8:30 pm
Tuesday, March 24 - 3:00 - 8:30 pm
Wednesday, March 25 - 3:00 - 8:30 pm
Thursday, March 26 - 3:00 - 9:00 pm

Students will be bused from MJH to LWC for the Monday - Friday rehearsals. Students who have purchased dinners in advance will be fed. Students who did not pre-pay for dinners will need to provide their own dinners/drinks.

PERFORMANCES

Friday, March 27 and Saturday, March 28

These performances will take place at LWC.

Students should plan to arrive at 5:00 on Friday and 12:00 on Saturday. Dismissal will be around 9:00 each day.

Sunday, March 29

12:00 - 3:00

MANDATORY SET STRIKE

Mandatory set strike and storage of equipment
We will start at LWC and then move things to MJH.

This is MANDATORY for all Cast and Crew members.

Did you know that you can support the Mokena Music Boosters with every Amazon purchase you make at no cost to you? Any time you are shopping via Amazon, please consider using Amazon Smile for your purchases. Go to www.amazonsmile.com. You can select the Mokena Music Boosters to receive a donation on your behalf just by making your regular Amazon purchase through them. It doesn't cost you anything and helps the Music Boosters fund our programs. The AmazonSmile fundraiser is available year round - not just at Christmas time. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Bussean.

TonalEnergy Tuner is an all-inclusive, easy to use application designed for individual practice and/or large ensemble rehearsals that aides musicians to improve sound quality and intonation.

Tuning, volume, articulation, release, duration, and steadiness are the key elements of developing a beautiful tone quality. TonalEnergy Tuner is the first multi-purpose application that allows users of all ages to understand and improve every aspect of their sound.

This app is especially useful to young brass players who struggle to find the correct partial. Oftentimes they think they are playing the correct pitch, when in fact, they are not. This can be very frustrating. This app can help students learn where the correct partial is and to hear when they are not matching the correct pitch.

In addition to its tuner capabilities, it has a built in metronome to keep students rehearsing with a steady beat!

We highly recommend that all students in our band program invest in this application if they have access to a device. It is well worth the $3.99 it costs. This is much more inexpensive than a separate metronome and tuner device.

You may hear the term IFA account and wonder "what is that?" An IFA account is an Individual Fund Account. Every student registered in Charms automatically has an account. Funds raised through IFA Fundraisers will be credited to your child's account and can be used to purchase any music related items such as booster fees, reeds, valve oil, and even music department trips, just to name a few! The current 6th and 7th Grade Band students are eligible to go on the 2021 Trip to Disney World! If your child is in 4th and 5th Grade, they will be eligible for the Disney trip in 2023. Start saving now!

IFA Fundraisers usually occur once per quarter and are not mandatory. We are currently running the Popcorn Fundraiser. 50% of the proceeds will go into your child's IFA account.

Come out on Thursday, March 17, 2020 at 7:00 PM to the monthly Music Booster Meeting. The meeting will take place at Mokena Junior High School. Music Booster meetings are open meetings that anyone can attend. Come see what our Boosters are all about and how you can help support your child's music education. I look forward to seeing you there!

The Mokena Meteor Music Department has a Facebook page! It is a closed group, so please request to join! We post photos and information about what is happening in the Music Department. There is a link at the bottom of this Newsletter.

MARCH

3/7 - IGSMA District Band Contest (Symphonic Band Only)

3/12 - March Melodies Concert

3/14 - IGSMA District Choir Contest

3/17 - Music Booster Meeting

3/19 - LWMB Information Meeting (8th Graders Only)

3/22 - Musical Load In

3/23 - 3/26 - Musical Tech Week

3/27 - Musical Performance 7:00 pm at LWC

3/28 - Musical Performances 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm at LWC

3/29 - Musical Set Strike

3/30 - Spring Break

3/31 - Spring Break

Email: busseank@mokena159.org
Website: www.mokenameteormusic159.org
Location: 19815 Kirkstone Way, Mokena, IL, USA
Phone: (708) 342-4870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1407106346017516&ref=br_rs